27 July 2020
Sven Hovmöller and Ute Kolb, joint winners of the 2020 Gjønnes Medal
The IUCr Gjønnes Medal in Electron Crystallography has been awarded to Sven Hovmöller (left; Professor Emeritus, Stockholm University, Sweden) and Ute Kolb (Head, Centre for High Resolution Electron Microscopy, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, Mainz, Germany) for their pioneering work in the field of electron crystallography, particularly for developing 3D electron diffraction techniques.
In the 1990s, Sven Hovmöller and his group combined high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images and zone-axis electron diffraction patterns for the solution of atomic structures. In 2007, Ute Kolb and her group developed the automated electron diffraction tomography (ADT) method, which allows the collection of 3D electron diffraction data suitable for structure analysis. As a result, atomic structures of many organic and inorganic crystals were solved. In 2008, Sven Hovmöller and his group suggested an alternative approach to collecting the 3D electron diffraction data – the Rotation Electron Diffraction (RED) method – which is also successfully used for the structure solution of complex structures, including proteins. Today, these methods are widely used by crystallographers all over the globe for the structure solution of new materials.
In addition to their outstanding scientific results, which were published in high-ranking international journals (e.g. Nature and Science), both scientists have been very active as organisers of international schools on electron crystallography over many years. Thus, they have had a crucial role in the formation of a generation of electron crystallographers.
Professors Hovmöller and Kolb will receive their award during the 25th IUCr Congress in Prague, Czech Republic, in August 2021, where they will share the presentation of a Keynote Lecture.
